One Good Thing by Jillee

Home Hacks, Cleaning Tips, & DIY

  • Homekeeping
    • All Homekeeping
    • Cleaning
    • Laundry
    • Crafts & DIY Projects
    • Gardening & Outdoors
    • Organization
  • Natural Remedies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Main Dish
    • Gluten-Free
    • Breakfast
    • Baking
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
  • Bright Ideas
    • All Bright Ideas
    • Advice
    • Saving Money
    • Green Living
  • Beauty
    • Hair & Makeup
    • Skincare
  • E-books
  • Get OGT Plus
  • Log in

    10/09/12 63 Comments 15,987

    21 Hidden “Hot Spots” For Germs

    Lately it seems like everywhere I turn there is someone offering to give me a flu shot!  It’s been a sobering reminder of what the winter season most likely has in store for us. It’s also inspired me to look into some ways (besides getting a flu shot!) that we can do to AVOID colds and flu this year.

    More Ideas You'll Love

    10 Dirty, Germ-Covered Things You Touch Every Day

    Have you cleaned any of these items lately? Continue Reading

    After a lot of looking…I am convinced that the VERY best way to prevent colds and flu is to keep away from germs where you are most likely to pick them up. So I proceeded to put together a list of germ “hot spots” to avoid.

    Of course we can’t avoid touching most of the items mentioned in the list below….(most Americans touch about 300 different surfaces every 30 minutes)….but I think a little common sense and attention to what you’re coming in contact with can go a long way in helping protect you and your family.

      MY LATEST VIDEOS
     

    Here are some of the most common germ “hot spots” taken from several different scientific studies (listed below):

    Cutting Board

    There are 200 times more fecal bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat. The reason? Many people rinse off their cutting board rather than thoroughly washing it.

    Recommendation

    Prepare a solution of a quart of water and “a jigger of bleach” and wipe down food preparation surfaces before making anything on those areas of the kitchen.

    Buttons

    These innocuous-looking offenders are found on ATMs, elevators, telephones and drink machines, among other things, and are often located in areas that are not cleaned and disinfected regularly.  First-floor buttons in elevators were the dirtiest because EVERYONE needs to go to the first floor. And these germs get transferred to the body part that comes in contact with faces the most — fingers and hands.

    Recommendation:

    Use your knuckle or wait for someone else to push it for you.

    More Ideas You'll Love
    How To Not Get Sick When Traveling For The Holidays

    How To Not Get Sick When Traveling For The Holidays

    Getting sick is a bummer no matter when it happens, but getting sick during the holidays is the WORST. The holidays are a time to relax and enjoy the ... Continue Reading

    Car Dashboard

    Dashboards are one of the most germ-laden locations in a car because it is one of the warmest places and has ventilation systems on either side that can aerate spores, blowing them out among unsuspecting passengers. Because the dashboard receives the most sun and tends to stay warm, it’s prime for growth.

    In addition to the dashboard….other car interior “hot spots” include: change holders, cup holders and children’s car seats.

    Recommendation:

    Regularly wipe down the inside of your car with disinfecting wipes. Be more vigilant during allergy season.

    Airplane Bathroom

    Airplane bathrooms get cleaned, but the high volume of people they must cater to in a short amount of time leaves them very dirty very quickly.  Many people, will not wash their hands effectively because the sink is small, and dirty hands transfer germs to the face easily.

    Recommendation:

    Treat all airplane bathroom surfaces as if they are radioactive! Keep the lid closed when flushing, use a paper towel to handle lid, faucets and door handles after washing hands, then use hand sanitizer once back at your seat as an extra precaution.

    Cell Phone

    The phone provides a convenient meeting place for two different sources of germs — your hands and your mouth. Several studies show they carry tons of bacteria, including staph (which can cause skin infections), pseudomonas (eye infections), and salmonella (stomach ailments). Many electronic devices are in leather or vinyl cases, which provide plenty of creases and crevices for germs to hide.

    Recommendation:

    More Ideas You'll Love
    Remedies for Sick Kids

    Natural Cold & Flu Remedies For Sick Kids

    Now that's it's November it means the "holiday season" is officially upon us! And when I think about the holiday season, I can't help but think of all ... Continue Reading

    Use a disinfecting wipe a few times a week, and be conscious of where you rest personal items.

    Handbags, Backpacks

    Handbags & backpacks are often place on the floors of restaurants, subway floors, bathroom stalls, etc. Such places can be highly infected with bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli, which can easily adhere to the bottom of bags and can spread easily to other places where you put the bag like dining room table or the kitchen counter.

    Recommendation:

    Put your purse or backpack on a bench or a seat. Or, even better, hang the bag off the floor. If possible, wash and wipe your bag with soap and warm water regularly to get rid of germs.

    Wallets

    Paper currency has a way of getting around, from germ-filled hand to germ-filled hand. It picks up germs, viruses and often trace amounts of illegal drugs, and all of that ends up in your wallet. Flu virus strains can be potent on bank notes for 10 to 17 days. Because men keep wallets in their pockets, the wallet is close to body temperature — an ideal temperature for bacteria to breed.

    Recommendation:

    After handling the contents of your wallet, wash your hands with soap or use an alcohol based solution after every transaction.

    Dirty Laundry

    In the laundry room, your average load of wash contains more than coffee stains. It can be packed with bacteria such as e. coli from clothing, towels and linens.

    Recommendation:

    If you have to wash at lower temperatures, add a laundry disinfectant. Wash your hands after loading the washing machine, since bacteria and fungi build up on damp items. Avoid using the same sorting tables for clean and dirty laundry since the E. coli from the dirty clothes will transfer to the table and then back onto your freshly laundered clothes.

    Kitchen Faucet

    The metal aeration screen at the end of the faucet is a bacteria magnet. Running water keeps it moist, an ideal condition for bacteria growth. Because tap water is far from sterile, if you accidentally touch the screen with dirty fingers or food, bacteria can grow on the faucet.

    Recommendation:

    Once a week, remove the screen and soak it in a diluted bleach solution. Replace the screen, and let the water run a few minutes before using.

    Garbage Disposal

    The kitchen sink has about 1,000 times more bacteria growing in it than the average toilet! Bacteria loves to grow on the crevices in and around the slimy rubber stopper, contaminating whatever touches it—dishes, utensils, even your hands.

    Recommendation:

    At least once a week, clean the disposal’s rubber stopper with a diluted bleach solution—soap and water aren’t enough.

    Welcome Mat

    The area near your front door is one of the dirtiest in the house, and once bacteria is growing in your mat, anytime you walk on it, it has a free ride into your home.

    Recommendation:

    Spray the doormat once a week with a disinfectant. Leave shoes at the door, and avoid resting bags and groceries on the mat, too.

    Vacuum Cleaner

    Your vacuum sucks in all kinds of bacteria and food, creating an atmosphere for growth. Each time you use the appliance you could be spreading that bacteria around the house.

    Recommendation:

    Change your vacuum bag frequently OUTDOORS to avoid the cloud of bacteria that filters into the air. Clean the cavity of a bagless vacuum with diluted bleach and let it air-dry. Spray the brush with a disinfectant after every use—traces of bacteria can survive as long as 5 days inside the vacuum after you empty the dirt.

    Dish Towel

    Did you know your dish towels can harbor just as many nasty germs as your sponge?  A recent study of hundreds of homes across the United States found dish towels were contaminated with staph bacteria, dangerous strains of E. coli, and other bacteria. We often use towels to wipe up spills then reuse before washing them, which spreads germs.

    Recommendation:

    Stick to paper towels to clean countertops, and save the dishrag to dry just-washed pots and plates. Change towels or launder at least twice a week in hot water and bleach.

    Soap Dispensers

    Ironically, most soap containers are never cleaned so bacteria grows as the soap scum builds up. Plus, the bottom of the dispensers are constantly being touched by dirty hands, feeding millions of bacteria.

    Recommendation:

    Scrub hands thoroughly for 15 to 20 seconds with plenty of hot water—and, if you have it, use a hand sanitizer too.

    Restaurant Ketchup Bottle

    It’s rare that restaurants regularly bleach down their tabletop condiment containers, and the reality is that many people don’t wash their hands before eating. So while you may be diligent, the guy (or gal) before you may not have been.

    Recommendation:

    Squirt hand sanitizer on the outside of the bottle or use a disinfectant wipe before you grab it. Unfortunately, holding the bottle with a napkin won’t help because they are porous.

    Refrigerator Seal

    Even if you scrub the inside of your fridge…it may not be enough. A University of Arizona survey of 160 homes in three US cities found that the seal around the fridge tested positive 83% of the time for common molds. The mold can spread every time the refrigerator door opens—exposing anyone who’s susceptible to allergies and potentially contaminating the food.

    Recommendation:

    Wipe fridge seals at least once a week with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant.

    Makeup Testers in the Mall

    Free make up testers are tried on many people who come in the mall for shopping. Makeup like lipstick and mascara contain bacteria like E.coli and Staphylococcus, which crawl on the outer casing of these testers. Mascara and eye pencils can lead to pink eye.

    Recommendation:

    The safest way to stay away from these diseases is to avoid using the testers. Try a new lipstick shade on the back of your hand and do not forget to wash it after testing.

    Gym Equipment

    Equipment in the gym provide a perfect environment for bacteria, fungus and viruses to thrive. Studies show that weight equipment is contaminated significantly more often than aerobic equipment, and disinfecting the equipment twice a day didn’t do anything to lower the virus count.

    Recommendation:

    When you use a machine, completely bandage all your open wounds to avoid infection; avoid touching your face between sets, and make sure to pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your gym bag.

    Your Shower Curtain

    The soap scum hanging out on your curtain is more than just unsightly….vinyl shower curtains are microbe meccas. Plus, the force of the shower spray will make germs take flight.

    Recommendation:

    Hang a fabric shower curtain. It will still harbor bacteria, but it’s much easier to clean. Just toss it in the washer, and use the hottest water the fabric can handle.

    The Lemon Wedge in Your Drink

    In a study from the Journal of Environmental Health, nearly 70 percent of the lemon wedges smashed onto restaurant glasses contained disease-causing microbes. Researchers ordered drinks at 21 different restaurants, securing 76 lemons. Testing revealed 25 different microorganisms lingering on the lemons, including E. coli and other fecal bacteria.

    Recommendation:

    Tell the waiter you prefer your drink without fruit. Why risk it?

    Your Bed

    More than 84 percent of beds in U.S. homes host dust mites. These microscopic critters live in your sheets and feed on your dead skin, and their fecal matter and corpses contribute to asthma and allergies.

    Recommendation:

    Don’t make your bed. A made bed traps the moisture dust mites need to thrive. Try bundling a dehumidifier with an oscillating fan for a two-pronged moisture eliminator.

    How do you protect yourself from germs?

    • 2010 study conducted by the Hygiene Council, “Hygiene Home Truths”.
    • 2011, NSF International “Germiest Places in the Home” study.
    • “Germs in the Workplace Study”, University of Arizona, Dr. Charles Gerba.
    • Kimberly-Clark Professional, The Healthy Workplace Project, May 2012
    • Study presented at an American Society for Microbiology, lead researcher Katie Kirsch, University of Houston, June 2012.
    • The “5-second Rule” is a Myth, Paul Dawson, PhD, professor of food science at Clemson University.

    Read This Next
    • How To Make Incredible Hot Chocolate…In Your Crockpot!
    • How To Clean And Care For Your Down Bedding This Winter
    • 12 Tips to Get Your Car Ready for Winter

    More Ideas From Homekeeping

    cleaning mistakes

    These 7 Cleaning Mistakes Are Doing More Harm Than Good

    Removing Candle Wax From Carpet

    How to Get Candle Wax Out Of Your Carpet

    How To Make A Cheap, All-Natural Dusting Spray

    Get More Organized In Under 5 Minutes

    24 Easy Ways To Get More Organized In Under 5 Minutes

    Toilet Cleaning Bombs

    This Is The Lazy Way To Keep Your Toilet Fresh Between Cleanings

    Dusting Hacks

    14 Genius Dusting Hacks That Will Save You Time

    The Power Of The Humble Epsom Salt Bath

    Garden Tools

    Getting Your Gardening Tools in Shape For Spring!

    mason jar dispenser

    DIY Mason Jar Dispenser

    Simple DIY Mousepad Makeover!

    Dollar Store Organizing Ideas

    17 Dollar Store Organizing Ideas You Need To Try

    Surprising Uses for Baking Soda

    Surprising Uses for Baking Soda That Have Nothing To Do With Baking

    Kitchen Items You're Using Incorrectly

    15 Things In The Kitchen You’re Using The Wrong Way

    felted soap

    Make Your Own Felted Soap (Or Self-Soaping Scrubbie!)

    How To Clean A Backpack

    DIY Garden Salve

    Healing and Nourishing DIY Gardener’s Salve

    How To Clean Your Microfiber Furniture The Safe And Easy Way

    How To Clean Your Microfiber Furniture The Safe And Easy Way

    Dishwasher Detergent

    This Easy and Affordable Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Makes Your Dishes Sparkle

    newest oldest most voted
    Carletta Sulser
    Carletta Sulser

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is possible for novel coronavirus, a new coronavirus that has killed at least 18 people in the Middle East and Europe, to be passed between humans, but only after prolonged contact. So far, however, there is no evidence that the virus is able to sustain generalized transmission in communities, a scenario that would raise the specter of a pandemic.:-;’

    Adieu
    <http://healthwellnesslab.com/

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    5 years ago
    Ezra Lasagna
    Ezra Lasagna

    Type A flu virus is constantly changing and is generally responsible for the large flu epidemics. The influenza A2 virus (and other variants of influenza) is spread by people who are already infected. The most common flu hot spots are those surfaces that an infected person has touched and rooms where he has been recently, especially areas where he has been sneezing.`*:”

    Most recent piece of writing from our web site http://www.healthwellnessbook.comca

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    5 years ago
    Felicita Belt
    Felicita Belt

    Swivel bar stools are a brilliant idea for bar furniture and have many unseen advantages for both business and pleasure. Swivel bar stools are practical because they have excellent manoeuvrability when being sat in, this allows for extra comfort and convenience for those who are sitting in them. When in the bar or restaurant industries, swivel bar stools are usually affixed to the one spot, this facilitates the look of neatness and a well compacted yet spacious seating area. Most significantly swivel bar stools always look very chic and have an air of prestige about them… The latest posting produced… Read more »

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    5 years ago
    Valerie Boutwell
    Valerie Boutwell

    I never used to worry about any of this too much. I was happy to share food and drinks with people. After discovering that I was gluten intolerant and trying to avoid being cross contaminated with traces of gluten, I have started thinking about all these surfaces. I have read that 70-80% of the food consumed in the USA contains wheat or gluten. So for me, I am thinking about all those things that people touch right after eating a burger or a burrito, and they have gluten on their hands. Despite me being super super careful, I frequently have… Read more »

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    Brooke
    Brooke

    OMG that one about “Your Bed” freaks me out! The others are prety nasty too. Well looks like I’m on a new mission to disinfect. Oh boy!
    Thanks once again for the great info. BTW, I never make my bed so it’s a good thing. LOL

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    Lisa C
    Lisa C

    I made us a bunch of pillow cases. We change them every few days, usually about 3 times a week. BUT, if anyone is sick, feverish, sniffles, sneezing, runny watery eyes, we change them BOTH daily in the morning when we get up. It has cut down on passing germs and reinfecting ourselves. We actually have not “passed” any air born illnesses in years. Plus its really REALLY nice to put a fresh pillow case on several times a week since we put our clothes on the line year round.!

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    gail
    gail

    one of the best and safest ways to reduce the risk of getting the flu is still the flu shot. Please stop using a public domain to voice your bias against this very safe vaccination.

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    Cocoa
    Cocoa

    Yay! I never make my bed unless I’ve just put on fresh sheets. Glad to know it’s actually a good thing :)

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    CTY
    CTY

    One of the worst offenders I know of are shopping carts. Many stores now have sanitizing wipes for the handle but consider this—The child seat part of the basket has all kinds of troubles, leaky diapers, runny noses, spit up, drools, partially eaten you fill in the blank. Most of us folks without kids use that seat for fragile produce, eggs, bread, our purse etc. One solution. By pass that seat all together or when in a pinch use a hand carry basket offered at the front door inside the seat. Now those too can be nasty– but it cuts… Read more »

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    Judy
    Judy

    How did we all get this far in life with all these germs lurking in unsuspecting places? We should all be six feet under from all the horrible germs we’ve been exposed to! Seriously, as several others have pointed out, our bodies need exposure to germs to build antibodies. There’s common sense and there’s paranoia. Wash your hands, keep your food prep area clean, carry a bottle of antibacterial gel in case you handle something icky like a shopping cart handle. You’re not doing yourself or your children any favors by being so over zealous about eliminating exposure to germs… Read more »

    Vote Up0Vote Down 
    6 years ago
    California girl transplanted and blooming in Utah. In recovery and loving life.
    • Contact
    • About
    • Work with Me
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

    copyright © 2019 One Good Thing by Jillee · All rights reserved